How to Verify a Colorado Contractor’s License (Step-by-Step for Longmont Homeowners)

Here’s something that surprises most homeowners: Colorado has no statewide general contractor license. Licensing is handled city by city and county by county — which is exactly why storm chasers get away with claiming to be “fully licensed.” Licensed where? Here’s how to actually check, step by step.

Step 1: Ask for the Exact License Number and Jurisdiction

Don’t accept “we’re licensed and insured” as an answer. Ask: “What’s your license number, and which county or city issued it?” A legitimate contractor answers instantly. For example, Josh Brooks Construction and Renovation Inc. holds Boulder County building contractor license CON-24-0152. If a contractor hesitates, deflects, or says the license is “under our parent company,” treat that as your answer.

Step 2: Verify With the Issuing Jurisdiction

For homes in unincorporated Boulder County and many Longmont-area properties, contact Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting or use the county’s online contractor lookup. Confirm three things:

• The license is active (not expired or suspended)
• The business name matches the name on your contract exactly
• The license class covers your project

If your home falls under the City of Longmont’s building department instead, call the city — permits for your project will be pulled there, and they can tell you whether the contractor is registered to pull them.

Step 3: Understand License Classes

Front Range counties issue tiered licenses — commonly Class A, B, and C — that define what scope of work a contractor may legally perform. Two things trip homeowners up:

• Classes differ by county. The same company can hold different classes in different counties. Never assume a license in one county means anything in another.
• Class isn’t a quality grade. It defines project scope. What matters is that the contractor’s class in your county covers your project.

Step 4: Confirm Insurance — Separately

A license is not insurance. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the contractor’s insurance agent showing active general liability and workers’ compensation coverage. A storm chaser can photoshop a certificate; an insurance agent emailing you directly can’t be faked as easily.

Step 5: Match Everything to the Contract

The name on the license, the name on the insurance certificate, and the name on your contract must all match. Storm chasers frequently operate under one name, contract under another, and hold a license (if any) under a third. Mismatched names are how homeowners end up with no legal recourse.

Step 6: Check the Permit

Roof replacements in Longmont and Boulder County require a permit. If your contractor suggests skipping the permit “to save you money,” they’re avoiding inspection because they know the work won’t pass — or because they aren’t licensed to pull one. The permit protects you: a county or city inspector verifies the work at no benefit to the contractor.

Five Minutes That Save Five Figures

This entire process takes one phone call and five minutes online. The homeowners who call us to fix failed storm-chaser roofs skipped it. After 30 years in construction, we’ve never once been asked for our license number and hesitated — and that should be the standard you hold every contractor to.